Bill-file



' (No Model.)

J. S. SAMMONS.

BILL FILE.

No. 459,471. 'Patente d Sept. 15, 1891.

m: norms Pusan co.. mom-mum, wnsmnavou 0 c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB SIDNEY SAMMQNS, OF MARSHALLTO\VN, IOIVA.

BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,471, dated September 15, 1891.

Application filed May 22, 1891 Serial No. 393,699. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB SIDNEY SAM- MONs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshalltown, in the county of Marshall and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bill-Files; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of files for bills and the like in which the papers to be preserved are strung on a spur, this device being more particularly adapted to the use of druggists in filing away prescriptions, though of course applicable to the general uses of a file of the kind designated.

The object of the invention is to produce a file to which papers may be quickly and uniformly attached and which shall be capable of holding them in a neat and compact shape and permit any number of the papers to be turned back for the examination of others without detaching them from the hook.

The invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same with an inclosing filing-case. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spur end of the file. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the same, showing the detail of construction; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a somewhat modified form adapted to be hung on the wall.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The device has been designed with special reference to the needs of druggists in preserving doctors prescriptions; but from the nature of its construction it will be evident that it is adapted to general use.

Referring to the drawings, A is a tablet of wood or thick strong paper or other suitable material. To one end of this tablet is suitably hinged, as by a connecting web of cloth or leather, a strip B, comparatively narrow, but in length corresponding to the width of the tablet. To this strip again may be hinged another and wider leaf 0, corresponding in dimensions to the inside of the case D and adapted to close the end thereof when the file is inserted for the better preservation of the papers it holds.

Near the upper end of the tablet A is attached a hook or spur E, the pointed end of which is practically conterminous with its other end, and is adapted to pass through a hole I) in the leaf B. In 4 is shown a simple mode of attaching the spur to the tablet. The spur has a suitable shoulder e to form a bearing on one of the metallic plates 0, a on the top and bottom of said tablet. The lower end of the spur passes through these plates and is riveted or otherwise securely fastened in the lower one. The plates are secured to the tablet by rivets c c.

In practice it is desirable to make the tablet quite thick to produce the proper stiffness, and to this end the tablet is preferably made of two thicknesses of strong paper-board, as represented. Between them and connected securely thereto by the rivets c c and the spur E is a spring-plate F, bent downwardly a little at the outer end and connected securely with the leaf B, as by turning under the outer end. The normal position of the parts is therefore as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the tablet and leaf being elevated somewhat at the joint. As this joint is between the two limbs of the spur, the effect is to carry the upper surface of the leaf B below the point of the spur, so that a paper may be slipped under the point. Now by pressing down on the curve of the spur the-tablet yields and the point of the spur punctures the paper, when it is carried over the curve of the spur to its final position on the tablet. The spur preferably passes through the spring, which is provided with a suitable hole. Instead of puncturing or piercing the paper the spur may be made to punch a clean hole through it by leaving the end full size and making the hole in the spring of the same size, as shown by the parts E and F in Fig. 4. In running over the file of papers it is desirable to pass a part of them back over the curve ofthe spur to the pointed or entering member thereof; but as the point of the spur is somewhat above the top of the leaf 13 means are necessary to prevent the overturned papers'from becoming detached. In the draw G, pivoted in the eyes or bearings d d.

ings are shown two devices for this purpose, that shown in Fig. 5 being better adapted to a file for the wall, while the device shown in the other figures is preferred in a file for use on a table, desk, or counter.

The simpler device (shown in Fig. 5) consists, simply, in an upwardly (as regards the leaf B) curved continuation of the spring F, this curve Fbeing carried somewhat higher than the point of the spur. This does not prevent the passing of paper between the spur-point and the spring in attaching them, but is sufficient to prevent accidental displacement of papers while in use. In the leaf B are one or more studs or eyes I) to serve asa gage for the edge of the paper, so as to secure uniformity in the upper edges thereof.

The other device shown consists of a bail The longer portion of the bail should extend upwardly as far as or higher than the point of the spur which the loop 9 partially encircles. The limbs of the bail g g bend down in the middle, so to throw the longer portion up when they rest on the surface of the leaf B. The extensions back of the bearings g" g" prevent the hail from turning up more than a limited distance; but to this extent the bail turns freely, permitting the pierced paper to pass up and over the spur. paper has passed the bail drops to normal position by its own gravity.

The file is adapted for use either with or without a case. For the sake of cleanliness and the better preservation of the papers, however, it is desirable to inclose them in a case. The case is a simple box D, open at one end. This end, when the file is inserted, is closed by the leaf 0, as above specified. The end leaf may be held in a notch or groovef in the upper part of the-case and by the inward spring ofthe case.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a bill-file, the combination of a tablet, a spur, in the form of a stirrup or inverted U,

As soon as the secured thereto by one of its limbs, the other one projecting beyond the end of said tablet, a leaf connected with the spur end of said tablet, with a hole therein for the free end of the spur to enter, and a spring adapted to hold said leaf normally away from the end of the spur.

2. In a bill-file, the combination of a tablet, a leaf flexibly connected therewith and normally held at an angle to the tablet, a stirrup-shaped spur connected by one limb with the tablet, the other end being adapted to enter a hole in said leaf,'and a bail pivoted to said leaf, a portion of said bail being higher than the free end of the spur to hold the attached papers from displacement and adapted to swing freely upward to allow the papers to be strung thereon.

3. In a bill-file, the combination of a tablet with a stirrup-shaped spur attached thereto, a flexible leaf or extension under the free end of the spur, a supplemental leaf hinged thereto, and an open-ended case or box to contain said file, the supplemental leaf being adapted to close the end of said box when the file is placed therein.

4. In a bill-file, the combination of a tablet, a stirrup-shaped spur attached thereto, its free end extending beyond the end of the tablet, a do\vnwardly-inclined spring with a hole therein coincident with the free end of the spur attached to said tablet, and a bail or equivalent device contiguous to the spur to prevent the accidental detaehmentof papers strung on said spur.

5. In a bill-file, the combination of the tablet A, leaf B, spring F, bail G, bearings d d, adapted to serve as a stop for the papers attached, and spur E, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony WhereofIaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB SIDNEY SAMMONS.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK G. CLARK, W. H. MEYERs. 

